Westend Bistro

Eric Ripert’s Washington outpost has a glitzy crowd on weekend nights, when the bar is packed two or three deep. A large selection of high-end liquors and great wines is easily overlooked—a shame because, for instance, the dessert wine Nivole Muscat d’Asti is a sweet, bubbly treat. A ten-minute walk from the Kennedy Center, Westend is a great place to cap off an evening, particularly if you order a plate of miniature fish burgers and French fries or the scrumptious macaroni and cheese with toasted bread crumbs.